Method of making high and low loop tufted fabrics



M. B. PENMAN 3,110,276

METHOD OF MAKING HIGH AND LOW LOOP TUFTED FABRICS Nov. 12, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mf /ll.

Original Filed April 2, 1957 FIG.

INVEN MONTGOMERY B. PEN

ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 1963 M. B. PENMAN I METHOD OF MAKING HIGH AND LOW LOOP TUFTED FABRICS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 2, 1957 INVENTOR MONTGOMERY B. PEN MAN ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 1963 M. B. PENMAN METHOD OF MAKING HIGH AND LOW LOOP TUFTED FABRICS Original Filed April 2. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MONTGOM ERY B.PENNAN ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,1 1%,276 Patented Nov. 12, 1963 3,110,275 METHGD OF MAKING l-HGH AND LGW LOSE TUFTED FABRICS Montgomery B. Penman, Bloomshurg, Pa, assignor to The Magee (Zarpet Company, Bioomsburg, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania riginal application Apr. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 650,160, now Patent No. 3,806,296, dated Get. 31, 1961. Bivided and this application Aug. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 134,066

1 Claim. (Cl. 112-256) This invention relates to a method of making high and low loop fabrics.

it is an object of the invention to provide a yarn feed and control mechanism which will uniformly supply a predetermined length of yarn to the needles or" a tufting machine to form loops of uniform height in accordance with a pattern.

A further object of the invention is to provide a yarn locking mechanism between the source of yarn supply and the needles of a tufting machine for locking the yarns against movement towards or from the yarn supply during part of each cycle of operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a yarn control mechanism for producing tufted carpets having loops of diiierent heights wherein each height of loops are uniform thus improving the appearance of the carpet.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following specification.

This application is a division of my prior application Serim No. 650,160 filed April 2, 1957, now Patent No. 3,686,296.

in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FiGS. l and 1A schematically illustrate the yarn feed and control mechanism,

FIG. 2 is a view of the needle bar of the tufting machine in its uppermost position.

PEG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the lock mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the lock mechanism.

PEG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the yarn clamp,

PEG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5, and,

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the plungers employed in the lock mechanism.

in the drawings, a schematic view of the yarn control and lock mechanism is shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A wherein a pair of yarn clam ing members A and B are disposed in vertical spaced relation and intermediate the clamping members is a yarn feeding member C. Between the lower clamping member B and pattern control mechanism D is a yarn locking mechanism E. The yarns 5 from the creel tubes 5, above the clamping member A, are moved into parallel relation extending transversely of the machine by opposed gmide rods 7 and 8, one rod being disposed in a plane slightly above the plane of the other rod. The yarn clamp A consists of a bar 9 having in one of its vertical faces a series of parallel vertical slots or grooves 16 adapted to receive the yarns 5, there being one slot for each yarn. Brackets 11 project outwardly from the grooved face of the bar 9 at its ends and rotatably mount a shaft 12 on which are mounted a series of spring fingers 13, there being one finger for each of the grooves. The fingers are of a width slightly less than the width of the grooves and extend downwardly from the shaft at an angle towards the grooved face of the bar 9. By rotating the shaft 12. the lower ends of the fingers are moved into pressing engagement with the yarns 2 in the grooves and prevent upward movement of the yarns. The tension of the fingers on the yarns may be adjusted by rotating shaft 12 which is held in adjusted position by set screws 14 mounted in brackets 1-1.

The yarns after passing through clamp A are trained around one side of a guide rod 15 and then over the opposite side of oscillating feed rod 16 mounted in arms 17 extending from oscillating shaft '18 disposed on the side of the yarns opposite to that of feed rod 16. When the shaft 18 is oscillated to swing the feed rod 16 in the direction to pull on the yarns a pre-determined length of the yarns is drawn from the creel, not shown, below the clamp A. The clamp B which is disposed below shaft 18 is identical in construction to clamp A and serves to prevent any upward pull on the yarns when the feed rod draws the yarns from the creel.

After the yarns leave clamp B they pass through vertical apertures 19 in a fixed plate 20 of the yarn lock mechanism E. The apertures of plate 21? are arranged in staggered relation and in vertical alinement with the tubes of the pattern control mechanism D disclosed in applicants prior application Serial No. 574,745 filed March 29, 1956, now Patent No. 2,971,722. The plate 2% is provided with a series of oppositely extending tnansverse bores 21, the inner ends of which intersect the vertical apertures 19. Plungers 22 are slidably mounted in the bores 21 having enlarged heads 2-3 at their outer ends beyond the edge of the plate 2%. The inner ends of the plungers 2-2 have pins 24 connected thereto by coil springs 25 which under compression project the pins to intersect the apertures 19 and grip the yarns holding them against movement. Coil springs 26 mounted on the plungers between their heads and the edge of plate 26 normally move the plungers outwardly to retract the pins and release the yarns. The actuating means for the plungers 22 includes bars 27 and 2.7 disposed in the same horizontal plane as plate 21; and in parallel relation to the longitudinal edges of the plate. The ends of bars 27 and 27' are slidably mounted in U-shape cross bars 28 fixedly mounted on the frame of the machine. The inner edges of bars 27 and 2.7 are in contact with the heads 23 of plungers 22 and upon movement of the bars towards each other the plungers are moved inwardly compressing springs 25 and as to move the pins 24 into gripping engagement with the yarns and lock them against movement. A rectangular reciprocating frame 29, at each end of plate 213, straddles the plate and bars 27, 27'. The frame 2% includes longitudinal side bars 30 and end members 31. One of the end members 31 is connected by a U-shape bracket 32 to the bar 27 and the opposite end member mounts a roller 33 for engagement with the periphery of a cam wheel 3 mounted on a rotating shaft 35. A cross head 36 is slidably mounted on the side bars 31) of frame 29 and mounts a roller 37 for contacting engagement with the eriphery of cam wheel 34. A connecting rod 38 connects the cross head to the bar 27' and upon rotation of the cam wheel 34 the frame 29 and connecting rod 38 are reciprocated in opposite directions to simultaneously move the bars 27, 217' to actuate the plungers 22 to lock and release the yarns during each cycle of operation of the yarn ifceding mechanism.

After the yarns leave the pattern control mechanism they pass through a yarn guide bar 39 and extend downwardly in the direction of the needle bar 41. The needle bar supports a series of needles 42. arranged in a straight row across the machine and attached to the needle bar is a jumper bar 43 supported above and to the rear of the needle bar by arms 43. longitudinally of the needle bar and is provided with a row of openings 46, one for each needle, through which the yarns extend. The yarns pass over guide rods 47 at- The jumper bar extends taohed to opposite sides'of the jumper bar. Adjacent to the jumper bar and between the jumper bar and guide bar 39 is an adjustable guide bar which is adjustably vertically, as at St}, and has a row of openings 48 corresponding to the openings of the jumper bar through which the yarns extend and on opposite sides of the bar 4% are guide rods 4) under which the yarns pass. The guide bar 413 is disposed parallel to the path of movement of the jumper bar and when the latter moves upwardly it carries the arns past the lower end of the guide bar and thus pulls the yarns from the source of supply.

In operation, the needle bar on the down stroke causes the needles to-penetrate the fabric and carry the yarns through the rabric to form loops 4-4 on the underside of the fabric which loops are engaged by the usual looper arms 45 to hold the loops on the up stroke of the needle bar. When the needle bar is in its uppermost position, as shown in PEG. 2, looper arms 45 are disengaged from the row of loops just formed, and yarn feed rod 16 is ready to pull a length of yarn from the supply creel. The 0am Wheel 34 of locking mechanism E is in locking position to lock the yarns when feed rod 16 starts to move and pattern control mechanism D is inoperative. As the needle bar starts on its downward movement it carries the supply of yarn provided by the previous cycle and feed rod starts to draw a length of yarn from the supply creel for the next cycle. The lock mechanism continues to hold the yarns and when the needle bar about reaches the point of penetrating the fabric, pattern control mechanism is operated to selectively hold the yarns in accord ance with a pattern. The needle bar completes its downward stroke to form a row of loops of uniform height which are engaged and held by looper arms 45 during the upstroke of the needle bar. When the needle bar is at the bottom of its down stroke teed rod 16 has completed its forward motion and is ready to swing backward; lock mechanism is open at this point allowing the yarns to move freely through the apertures 19 of plate 29. As the needle bar rnoves upwardly jumper bar 43 top of its upward stroke so the yarns are released before e loops from which yarn is robbed have not been completely pulled from the fabric. By varying the timing of the release of the yarns the height of the loops maybe varied.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: A method of making a loop pile fabric with loops of different heights on a multiple needle tuftlng machine having a main supply of yarns and a row of re'ciprocating needles for passing the yarns through a backing to form successive rows of loops which comprises drawing yarns "from the main supply to form a first and second stored supply of slack yarns, holding the yarns on both sides of the first stored supply from movement in the directon of the main supply, locking all the yarns against movement between the first and second stored supplies on the down stroke of the needles whereby yarns are drawn from the second supply and passed through the backing to form a row of loops of uniform height, freely holding the loops and selectively locking the yarns against movement between the first and second stored supplies on the upstroke of the needles whereby some yarns are drawn from the first stored supply and some yarns are drawn from loops in the previous iormed row of loops to restore the supply of yarns in the second stored supply.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

